The present invention relates to zirconia-metal composite bodies, and more particularly, to composite bodies comprising zirconia ceramic and metallic parts joined together.
Use of ceramics as parts of internal combustion engines, such as a cylinder liner, a piston, a clyinder head, and a pre-chamber, or of compressors and machines tools, for example, for which high abrasion resistance is required, has been extensively investigated in recent years. Particularly in internal combustion engines, application of zirconia-metal composite bodies with a zirconia ceramic part having superior heat insulation properties has been attempted to increase thermal efficiency. This attempt, however, faces a problem that zirconia ceramic and metallic parts are difficult to join together and no satisfactory joining can be obtained.
Zirconia ceramic and metallic parts have been joined together by techniques such as shrinkage fit utilizing thermal expansion and a method of joining together by cast molding. When, however, zirconia-metal composite bodies produced by the above methods are used at elevated temperatures or in the condition that they are subject to great impulse, a gap is formed between the zirconia ceramic and metallic parts joined together and, in some cases, they are separated from each other.